Board of Immigration Appeals Practice Manual

222 Pages·2017·1.48 MB·English

Board of Immigration Appeals

Practice Manual

This Practice Manual has been assembled as a public service to parties before the
Board of Immigration Appeals.
This manual is strictly informational in nature. This manual is not intended, in any
way, to substitute for a careful study of the pertinent laws and regulations. Readers
are advised to review Chapter 1.1 before consulting any information contained herein.
The Practice Manual is updated periodically. To assist readers, tables showing the
update history of the Practice Manual are available in the section titled Table of
Changes.
The Board of Immigration Appeals
David L. Neal, Chairman
Charles Adkins-Blanch, Vice Chairman

Members:

Patricia A. Cole
Micheal J. Creppy
Edward R. Grant
Anne J. Greer
John W. Guendelsberger
Edward F. Kelly
Molly Kendall Clark
Ellen Liebowitz
Garry D. Malphrus
Ana Landazabal Mann
Hugh G. Mullane
Blair T. O’Connor
Roger A. Pauley
Linda S. Wendtland

www.justice.gov/eoir this page last revised: March 23, 2018
Practice Manual Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 The Board of Immigration Appeals

Chapter 2 Appearances before the Board

Chapter 3 Filing with the Board

Chapter 4 Appeals of Immigration Judge Decisions

Chapter 5 Motions before the Board

Chapter 6 Stays and Expedite Requests

Chapter 7 Bond

Chapter 8 Oral Argument

Chapter 9 Visa Petitions

Chapter 10 Fines

Chapter 11 Discipline

Chapter 12 Forms

Chapter 13 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Chapter 14 Other Information

Appendices

Word Index

Citation Index

Table of Changes

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 The Board of Immigration Appeals
1.1 Scope of the Practice Manual .................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Function of the Board .............................................................................................................. 1
1.3 Composition of the Board ........................................................................................................ 4
1.4 Jurisdiction and Authority ........................................................................................................ 5
1.5 Public Access .......................................................................................................................... 10
1.6 Inquiries ................................................................................................................................. 12
Chapter 2 Appearances before the Board
2.1 Representation Generally ...................................................................................................... 17
2.2 Unrepresented Aliens (“Pro se” Appearances) ..................................................................... 18
2.3 Attorneys ............................................................................................................................... 19
2.4 Accredited Representatives ................................................................................................... 25
2.5 Law Students and Law Graduates .......................................................................................... 26
2.6 Paralegals ............................................................................................................................... 28
2.7 Immigration Specialists .......................................................................................................... 28
2.8 Family Members .................................................................................................................... 28
2.9 Others .................................................................................................................................... 28
2.10 Amicus Curiae ........................................................................................................................ 30
Chapter 3 Filing with the Board
3.1 Delivery and Receipt .............................................................................................................. 31
3.2 Service .................................................................................................................................... 35
3.3 Documents ............................................................................................................................. 37
3.4 Filing Fees .............................................................................................................................. 44
3.5 Briefs ...................................................................................................................................... 47
3.6 Expedite Requests ................................................................................................................. 47

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Chapter 4 Appeals of Immigration Judge Decisions
4.1 Types of Appeals .................................................................................................................... 49
4.2 Process ................................................................................................................................... 49
4.3 Parties .................................................................................................................................... 52
4.4 Filing an Appeal ...................................................................................................................... 54
4.5 Appeal Deadlines ................................................................................................................... 56
4.6 Appeal Briefs .......................................................................................................................... 57
4.7 Briefing Deadlines .................................................................................................................. 64
4.8 Evidence on Appeal ............................................................................................................... 67
4.9 New Authorities Subsequent to Appeal ................................................................................ 67
4.10 Combining and Separating Appeals ....................................................................................... 68
4.11 Withdrawing an Appeal ......................................................................................................... 68
4.12 Non-Opposition to Appeal ..................................................................................................... 69
4.13 Effect of Departure ................................................................................................................ 70
4.14 Interlocutory Appeals ............................................................................................................ 70
4.15 Summary Affirmance ............................................................................................................. 71
4.16 Summary Dismissal ................................................................................................................ 72
4.17 Frivolous Appeals ................................................................................................................... 73
4.18 Certification by an Immigration Judge ................................................................................... 73
4.19 Federal Court Remands ......................................................................................................... 73
Chapter 5 Motions before the Board
5.1 Who May File ......................................................................................................................... 75
5.2 Filing a Motion ....................................................................................................................... 76
5.3 Motion Limits ......................................................................................................................... 79
5.4 Motion Briefs ......................................................................................................................... 80
5.5 Transcript Requests ............................................................................................................... 80
5.6 Motions to Reopen ................................................................................................................ 80
5.7 Motions to Reconsider .......................................................................................................... 83

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5.8 Motions to Remand ............................................................................................................... 84
5.9 Other Motions ....................................................................................................................... 85
5.10 Decisions ................................................................................................................................ 86
5.11 Non-Opposition to Motion .................................................................................................... 86
Chapter 6 Stays and Expedite Requests
6.1 Stays Generally ...................................................................................................................... 87
6.2 Automatic Stays ..................................................................................................................... 87
6.3 Discretionary Stays ................................................................................................................ 88
6.4 Procedure for Requesting a Discretionary Stay ..................................................................... 89
6.5 Expedite Requests ................................................................................................................. 90
Chapter 7 Bond
7.1 Bond Appeals Generally ......................................................................................................... 91
7.2 Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................. 91
7.3 Procedure .............................................................................................................................. 93
7.4 Mootness ............................................................................................................................... 95
Chapter 8 Oral Argument
8.1 Oral Argument Coordinator ................................................................................................... 97
8.2 Selection of Cases .................................................................................................................. 97
8.3 Notification ............................................................................................................................ 98
8.4 Location ................................................................................................................................. 99
8.5 Public Access .......................................................................................................................... 99
8.6 Appearances ........................................................................................................................ 101
8.7 Rules of Oral Argument ....................................................................................................... 102
8.8 Conclusion of Oral Argument .............................................................................................. 107
Chapter 9 Visa Petitions
9.1 Visa Petitions Generally ....................................................................................................... 109
9.2 Jurisdiction Generally .......................................................................................................... 109
9.3 Visa Petition Denials ............................................................................................................ 109

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9.4 Visa Revocation Appeals ...................................................................................................... 112
9.5 Visa Revalidation Appeals .................................................................................................... 113
9.6 Federal Court Remands ....................................................................................................... 113
Chapter 10 Fines
10.1 Fines Generally .................................................................................................................... 115
10.2 Jurisdiction ........................................................................................................................... 115
10.3 Processing ............................................................................................................................ 115
10.4 Personal Interviews ............................................................................................................. 118
Chapter 11 Discipline
11.1 Practitioner and Recognized Organization Discipline Generally ......................................... 119
11.2 Definition of Practitioner and Recognized Organization ..................................................... 119
11.3 Jurisdiction ........................................................................................................................... 119
11.4 Conduct ................................................................................................................................ 120
11.5 Complaints ........................................................................................................................... 122
11.6 Duty to Report ..................................................................................................................... 123
11.7 Procedure ............................................................................................................................ 123
11.8 Sanctions .............................................................................................................................. 126
11.9 Confidentiality ..................................................................................................................... 126
11.10 Effect on Cases before the Board ........................................................................................ 126
11.11 List of Suspended and Expelled Attorneys .......................................................................... 127
11.12 Reinstatement ..................................................................................................................... 127
Chapter 12 Forms
12.1 Forms Generally ................................................................................................................... 131
12.2 Obtaining Blank Forms ......................................................................................................... 131
12.3 Submitted Completed Forms ............................................................................................... 133
Chapter 13 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
13.1 Generally .............................................................................................................................. 135
13.2 Requests .............................................................................................................................. 135

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13.3 Denials ................................................................................................................................. 137
Chapter 14 Other Information
14.1 Reproduction of the Practice Manual.................................................................................. 139
14.2 Updates to the Practice Manual .......................................................................................... 139
14.3 Public Input .......................................................................................................................... 139

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